Many people admire the beautiful snow white Eskie. This small to medium sized dog is of the Spitz family from the northern Arctic regions of the world. It is thought that this amazing dog found its way into the United States through the immigration of German settlers. They were thought to have brought the “German Spitz” with them. Then during World War I, while there was much anti- German sentiment, the name of the dog was changed to the American Eskimo Dog. While closely related, today the German Spitz and the American Eskimo are considered separate breeds. It was in 1913 that the first American Eskimo was registered with the American United Kennel Club.

Following WWI the popularity of this dog grew with their appearances in the circus. A famous American Eskimo dog named Stout’s Pal Pierre, that traveled with The Barnum and Bailey Circus was the first dog to walk the tight rope. Due to the popularity and love of this dog, many people owned them. In 1985, finally The American Eskimo Dog Club of America was formed with the ultimate goal of American Kennel Club recognition. This goal came to pass July 1, 1995 when the AKC formally recognized this breed. It was not until 2006 that the Canadian Kennel Club recognized the Eskie.

Within the breed, there are three distinctions. The toy, miniature and the standard American Eskimo Dog are how they are divided. While they all sport that gorgeous white coat, they vary in size. The Toy stands nine to twelve inches tall at the withers and weighs between six to ten pounds. The mid- size version is the Miniature, standing twelve to fifteen inches at the withers and weighing ten to twenty pounds. The Standard Eskie ranges fifteen to nineteen inches tall at the withers and weighs eighteen to thirty five pounds. They all have muzzles that are as long as their skulls, so they present with wedge shaped heads. Their ears are triangular and stand erect. Their tails curl up over their backs and spout a full plume.

These active, alert dogs were originally bred to be companion dogs. They love to be part of a family, but require a firm, consistent owner to prevent them from running the house. This is an extremely intelligent breed that is easy to train and often finishes high in obedience shows. High energy is a common thread in the American Eskimo Dog, causing them to require daily mental and physical exercise. Without sufficient activity they can become high strung and spin in circles. In addition, if allowed to run the house they can present with dog aggression, willfulness, obsessive barking and separation anxiety. As with most breeds, when handled and trained in the correct, loving manner they will become great family friends.